I know - it's been a long time. A lot of things have happened since I wrote last - many of them preventing me from having time to write!

First things first, we named the camper Velma :-)

Also, the beginning of September brought my birthday - and my birthday brought one of the best presents I've ever gotten - an Operation: Wanderlust Painting Party! Many of my friends who live in the area came to visit and paint the whole interior, including finishing off the cabinets that needed to have the hinges painted and put back on. I wanted to share pictures of that party and the work that was done. To the left is a photo of the inside of my closet - where everyone who was here that night signed. What a beautiful way to remember such an awesome night.

Here are some other photos to capture the essence of our Operation: Wanderlust Painting Party:

We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our life that are willing to round up at the shortest notice to help us achieve our dream. What a wonderful experience this was for us.

So, after the party, we were only supposed to have a week before we were supposed to move in, but I ended up having a lot of stuff happen back home with my family and friends that made moving mid-September nearly impossible without spontaneously combusting. We asked our landlord if we could ride out September, and he convinced us to stay the winter. We originally wanted to move into Velma for a month or two in the Summer/Fall so we could test out how it felt, but if I forced myself to think logically, it wasn't very wise to get out of what is currently a really sweet living arrangement just to have to find another apartment in a month.

This gave us time to lay the floors without rushing, paint the fridge and some other areas with chalkboard paint, and start putting up the trim, move in some non-essentials, and basically move at a much more relaxed pace from now on. I can imagine us cranking the propane heat on some weekend days this winter and finishing up some little projects we have planned for the inside.

My wife and our friend Jon have been rock stars when it came to getting the floors down and trim attached. This is what Velma looks like right now:

So - as you can see - a lot HAS been accomplished even though I've done a poor job at documenting it so far! Stay tuned for more updates once we get a mattress, get our art hung up, backsplashes finished, and other finishing touches!

Please feel free to comment below to give us ideas on ways to improve Velma, ask any questions you have about her or Operation: Wanderlust, and last but not least, please "like" and share if you actually like this!

Much love,

-Amy

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. "-Henry Ford